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Chief U.N. Weapons Inspector Meets With Powell Today
Aired October 04, 2002 - 05:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's turn our attention now to the showdown with Iraq. The chief U.N. weapons inspector meets with Secretary of State Colin Powell today. They'll talk about arrangements made with Iraq to resume weapons inspections. Yesterday, Hans Blix briefed the U.N. Security Council.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. ARMS INSPECTOR: We have said that the existing basis for our resolutions from '99 to '01 and onward give us the requisite authority. We can go back there. No one denied that we had a legal basis for going there.
The question was whether one should solve every practical arrangement. We solved a good deal in Vienna, went over it. But as I said, there are minor matters and some loose ends that need to be solved before we go to Baghdad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Yup, as you could hear there, Blix indicated inspectors may delay that return to Baghdad until the Security Council debates a new resolution threatening military action if the inspection efforts are obstructed.
President Bush has been clearly frustrated with the United Nations, though, and he's suggesting a coalition willing to join the U.S. against Iraq, even if the U.N. does not.
CNN's John King has more for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president faces an uphill fight at the United Nations and is making clear he has a backup plan.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My intent is to put together a vast coalition of countries who understand the threat of Saddam Hussein.
KING: Administration officials say any U.S. led coalition would begin with Great Britain, Italy, Australia and most likely Spain. Romania and Bulgaria are offering bases in Black Sea ports, and the White House also counts Poland as an anti-Iraq ally. Administration sources say Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman would allow use of U.S. bases in those Arab nations even if they are not publicly supportive of a confrontation with Iraq.
BUSH: Military option is my last choice, not my first. It's my last choice. But Saddam has got to understand, the United Nations must know that the will of this country is strong.
KING: The White House preference is a coalition under the banner of the United Nations, but Russia, China and France remain skeptical of the need for a tough new Security Council resolution before weapons inspectors return to Iraq. The administration insists its private diplomacy is yielding progress.
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: I am optimistic that we will find a way forward in the Security Council. We must find a way forward if the Security Council will retain its relevance.
KING: The chief U.N. weapons inspector is due in Washington for talks on Friday. It has been three weeks now since President Bush told the United Nations he wanted the Iraq debate settled in days and weeks, not months and years.
(on camera): Senior officials say the president wishes the U.N. debate would move more quickly, but is not overly frustrated just yet. As one top aide put it, let's see where we are at this point next week.
John King, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Oh, but the heck with coalition building and U.N. resolutions. The Iraqi vice president has a better idea. He wants a showdown, and not at the O.K. Corral. He wants Presidents Bush, Saddam Hussein and Vice President Dick Cheney and himself to choose their weapons and have a duel. The White House scoffs at that, though.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TAHA YASSIN RAMADAN, IRAQI VICE PRESIDENT: A president against a president, a vice president against a vice president, and a duel takes place. If they are serious, in this way we are saving the American and the Iraqi people.
ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Yes, there can be no serious response to an irresponsible statement like that. I just want to point out that in the past when Iraq had disputes, it invaded its neighbors. There were no duels, there were invasions. There was use of weapons of mass destruction and military. That's how Iraq settles its disputes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Tune into "Showdown Iraq" with Wolf Blitzer for the very latest developments on the crisis. That's each week day at noon Eastern, nine Pacific Time right here on CNN.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 4, 2002 - 05:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's turn our attention now to the showdown with Iraq. The chief U.N. weapons inspector meets with Secretary of State Colin Powell today. They'll talk about arrangements made with Iraq to resume weapons inspections. Yesterday, Hans Blix briefed the U.N. Security Council.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. ARMS INSPECTOR: We have said that the existing basis for our resolutions from '99 to '01 and onward give us the requisite authority. We can go back there. No one denied that we had a legal basis for going there.
The question was whether one should solve every practical arrangement. We solved a good deal in Vienna, went over it. But as I said, there are minor matters and some loose ends that need to be solved before we go to Baghdad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Yup, as you could hear there, Blix indicated inspectors may delay that return to Baghdad until the Security Council debates a new resolution threatening military action if the inspection efforts are obstructed.
President Bush has been clearly frustrated with the United Nations, though, and he's suggesting a coalition willing to join the U.S. against Iraq, even if the U.N. does not.
CNN's John King has more for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president faces an uphill fight at the United Nations and is making clear he has a backup plan.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My intent is to put together a vast coalition of countries who understand the threat of Saddam Hussein.
KING: Administration officials say any U.S. led coalition would begin with Great Britain, Italy, Australia and most likely Spain. Romania and Bulgaria are offering bases in Black Sea ports, and the White House also counts Poland as an anti-Iraq ally. Administration sources say Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman would allow use of U.S. bases in those Arab nations even if they are not publicly supportive of a confrontation with Iraq.
BUSH: Military option is my last choice, not my first. It's my last choice. But Saddam has got to understand, the United Nations must know that the will of this country is strong.
KING: The White House preference is a coalition under the banner of the United Nations, but Russia, China and France remain skeptical of the need for a tough new Security Council resolution before weapons inspectors return to Iraq. The administration insists its private diplomacy is yielding progress.
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: I am optimistic that we will find a way forward in the Security Council. We must find a way forward if the Security Council will retain its relevance.
KING: The chief U.N. weapons inspector is due in Washington for talks on Friday. It has been three weeks now since President Bush told the United Nations he wanted the Iraq debate settled in days and weeks, not months and years.
(on camera): Senior officials say the president wishes the U.N. debate would move more quickly, but is not overly frustrated just yet. As one top aide put it, let's see where we are at this point next week.
John King, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Oh, but the heck with coalition building and U.N. resolutions. The Iraqi vice president has a better idea. He wants a showdown, and not at the O.K. Corral. He wants Presidents Bush, Saddam Hussein and Vice President Dick Cheney and himself to choose their weapons and have a duel. The White House scoffs at that, though.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TAHA YASSIN RAMADAN, IRAQI VICE PRESIDENT: A president against a president, a vice president against a vice president, and a duel takes place. If they are serious, in this way we are saving the American and the Iraqi people.
ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Yes, there can be no serious response to an irresponsible statement like that. I just want to point out that in the past when Iraq had disputes, it invaded its neighbors. There were no duels, there were invasions. There was use of weapons of mass destruction and military. That's how Iraq settles its disputes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Tune into "Showdown Iraq" with Wolf Blitzer for the very latest developments on the crisis. That's each week day at noon Eastern, nine Pacific Time right here on CNN.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
